This was its sixth win over a ranked team this season, most in Division I.

The Spartans' margin of victory was their largest in the series since Feb. 12, 2000, when it won the first of two regular-season matchups and went on to defeat the Badgers in the Big Ten tournament and Final Four.

"That win says a lot," Green said. "Wisconsin's not an easy team to play.

"It's not the most talented team Bo Ryan has had, but it's still a very good one."

The Spartans (21-5, 10-3 Big Ten) have won four straight - the longest active streak in the conference - and six of their last seven games.

Michigan State shots 52.2 percent against a team that hadn't allowed an opponent to make half its shots once this season and was giving up a nation-low 50.3 points a game. And, it held Wisconsin to 34 percent shooting.

Izzo Post-Game AudioThe Badgers (19-7, 8-5) had won seven of their last eight, including their previous four road games, after opening the Big Ten season with three straight losses.

Appling's three-point play with 5:24 left in the first half capped a 14-0 run that gave Michigan State a 22-12 lead.

"That run hurt us," Ryan said. "They got a couple baskets in transition - guys thought they were back but weren't - we gave up turnovers and long rebounds.

"That's not a position we normally put ourselves in."

The Spartans led 31-19 at halftime and built a 53-33 lead midway through the second half.

Ryan said he told Izzo after the game that his team is playing pretty well.

"He's done a great job with this team," Ryan said. "It's the truth."

Wisconsin's [db]Jordan Taylor missed 10 of his 13 shots and was held to 13 points.

Michigan State, which snapped the Buckeyes' 39-game home winning streak Saturday night, improved to 16-0 at the Breslin Center.

The home of the Spartans was so loud late in the first half that official Mike Sanzere told ranting Ryan that he couldn't hear him.

"The crowd was awesome," Izzo said. "I told our players at halftime, 'You're bringing this crowd back like old times.'

"It was a total-MSU team effort. The crowd, the players and my staff did a phenomenal job of coming up with some things to somewhat contain Taylor."

Taylor, who averaged 29 points in his previous two games against Michigan State, got his first field goal with 5 seconds left in the first half after missing his first six shots.

"Jordan Taylor is a great player," said Appling, who was assigned to defend the senior guard. "After the first Wisconsin game, I went back into the laboratory and studied him. I learned a lot about his game."

Bo Ryan PostGame AudioRyan was often livid in the first half, screaming about calls that were made or that he thought were missed, but was much more subdued on the sideline after halftime as the Badgers headed toward a familiar fate on the road against a highly ranked team in the Big Ten.

Wisconsin has lost 40 straight games as visitors in the conference against top-10 teams since winning at No. 4 Ohio State on Nov. 26, 1980, according to STATS, LLC.